


Freedom Doesn't Taste Like Anything

by Notworthreading



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: F/M, I Don't Even Know, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Sorry, I'm bored, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-12
Updated: 2017-04-17
Packaged: 2018-10-17 21:13:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10602339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Notworthreading/pseuds/Notworthreading
Summary: 15 years ago in England, government officials sat around a table in an anxious manner as to what the future shall look like. Riots took over streets, criminal activity was at a high, citizens needed to be disciplined. The government wasn’t as strong as it use to be and people started to take notice of that. There wasn’t any backbone, people seemed that the government was just a joke. And at the moment it was. But these officials weren’t having any of that. They needed to show the people how a proper government works. They needed to show that a new dawn will arise and give hope to the future.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just like to say sorry in advance. I am just a bored girl who wanted to write a story, and for some reason I wanted to publish it. I will probably cringe by the time I am done with this (like with most things). I was very tired when writing this, and wrote it in the dark so there will make mistakes and my grammar will not be great, so yeah. Hope you enjoy???
> 
> (Oh and also. I already have the next chapter written, so I can guarantee you I'll be posting that soon and won't leave you hanging.)

15 years ago in England, government officials sat around a table in an anxious manner as to what the future shall look like. Riots took over streets, criminal activity was at a high, citizens needed to be disciplined. The government wasn’t as strong as it use to be and people started to take notice of that. There wasn’t any backbone, people seemed that the government was just a joke. And at the moment it was. But these officials weren’t having any of that. They needed to show the people how a proper government works. They needed to show that a new dawn will arise and give hope to the future.  
However the approach to achieve this “backbone of a government” was one that was not favored by the people. 400 people from all over the country, ranging from years 0-90, was taken into custody by the government. They decided that citizens needed to be punished, and what a better way to do that than take away your loved ones from you. 100 kids, 100 teens, 100 adults, and 100 seniors all shoved into a big underground facility somewhere in the country.  
Now what went down (and still goes down) in there is still a mystery. For one, citizens know the government didn’t kill them. Some people would sneak into the area that the underground facility was located in and say that they hear noises. Soft and quiet noises, but still noises. People have theorized what has happened down there such as experiments or a bio-dome lifestyle. Or maybe they are just living “normal” lives under there.  
No one has been seen entering the facility, and no one has been seen leaving the facility as that would be impossible. The place is heavily guarded still, and honestly, what kind of government would guard a place that had nothing going on? Questions like these are thought of in the minds of the citizens, but no one verbalizes them. For a good month, after the government showed up on people’s doorstep and took people away, riots still flooded the streets. If anything they gotten worse. But the government threatened the lives of the stolen loved ones, so the riots stopped. Everyone had to live in perfect harmony and keep their mouths shut. And everyone still does.  
No more riots have taken place. Criminal activity is at an all-time low. Everyone walks the street as if nothing ever happened. Silent. Blind.This is the lifestyle that all live by now.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

A black blur moves through the trees quickly. He is barefoot, a gash rest in his neck (but doesn’t bother him), and he is wearing a gray robe over bland clothing but he still wears a smile. He is sprinting. Howls are heard from every direction along with the yells of angry guards. Faster and faster he goes. While on the outside he seems like just an ordinary person running at a mildly fast pace, inside his mind is going a hundred miles per hour.

I can’t believe how soft the ground is. The air smells so fresh. Look how green the trees are. Where am I exactly? It smells amazing out here. All these thoughts race through his mind. Before he knows it, the howls cease and so do the chasing footsteps. He is no longer being chased. And for the first time in his life he can just stop.

He stands there and breathes in deeply chuckling to himself. He actually did it! He actually made it! He never thought he could but here he is, all alone, outside that horrid place. He kneels down and touches the dirt. He picks it up and plays with it in his hands letting it fall back down to the earth. 

Petrichor. That must be what he is smelling. It might be his favorite smell now.

The sky grays and a rumble goes through his ears. He keeps moving. He isn’t running anymore, but instead carefully walks in case of a guard spotting him, but he doubts they made it this far.

He walks for what it seems a mile.

He stumbles across the edge of the forest and stops. Next to it lays a road, and across the road lies a swing set in the middle of an empty grassland surrounded by hedges. He is hesitant but he walks forward. He crosses the street and goes through the opening in the hedges and walk towards the swing set. He finally stands next to it and touches the swing. It moves ever so slight at the touch of his hand and he retreats his hand back. Never has he seen a construct like this. He sees a seat hanging from two chains, and he gently places his hand on the seat to see if it is sturdy. 

“How could this hold up a person?” he ask himself. He simply shrugs and takes the seat and plops himself down. He walks his leg back and brings up his legs, swinging subtly.

Rumbles take the sky again and before he know it, it starts to rain. However, it doesn’t bother him. He just sits there and laughs. He puts his hand out and feels the rain, asking for more. He just smiles absorbing the rain, letting it soak him. And while all this happens, he doesn’t realize he is being watched.

A boy, holding an umbrella, stands in the space between the hedges and watches from the distance. He thinks to himself that if the boy on the swing turns around he would seem like a creeper. But he is not a creeper. He is simply intrigued that someone is swinging while it is pouring rain. It is also a bit weird how that someone has no shoes on and is wearing a robe. So he just stands there and watches him, not wanting to go up to him. He seems happy and in peace and he wouldn’t want to ruin that. The boy on the swing stops, and the boy in the hedges steps back, barely peeking his head around the corner.

The boy from the swing stands there for a moment. He turns his head and reveals the moderately size gash on his neck. It looks like it still might be be bleeding, but then again it is raining so it could just seem more than it actually is. The boy in the hedges is slightly concerned but the boy from the swing doesn’t seem bothered. Then the boy walks off, exiting the hedges. He doesn’t know that the boy who was watching him, follows him as well.

\---------------------------------------------

The boy in the robe is surprised by the bustling vehicles racing in front of him. Buildings line up the streets and people move quickly. He has never seen anything so lively. Everyone is covered with raincoats and umbrellas while he stands there like a fish out of water. It was at this moment he decided he wanted to cross the street, so he proceeded to. However he didn’t realize that you should wait until the cars pass to move because sometimes they can’t break that fast. But he just decided to move out onto the bustling road.

It was just then that a car decided to just honk its horn, catching the deer in the headlights. The boy eyes went wide as he saw the car move closer and closer to him, and then BAM! He was on the ground. However, to his surprise, it wasn’t due to a car, but rather a boy throwing himself on him, getting him out of the way. The rain fell on them and they just stayed there for a second. The black haired boy instantly shot up and wiped himself off, the other soon followed. While wiping off, their gazes moved up at the same time and then brown and blue instantly mixed. The brown haired boy open his umbrella again and covered themselves from the weather. 

The brown haired boy spoke up, “Are you okay? I mean you kinda just jumped in front-”

The other boy nodded quickly. As if nothing happened he walked off leaving the brown haired boy to stare. It took him a moment to register that the mysterious boy just left but when he did he decided to catch up to him.

“Um excuse me?” the brown haired boy ran up to him and the blue eyes just stared at him with confusion.

He finally was walking next to him and asked again, “Seriously are you okay? I mean there is a big gash on your neck.” The black haired boy raised his hand and covered his gash self-consciously.

He nodded again. He was reluctant to speak, being to scared. He couldn’t trust anyone right now. While yes freedom feels amazing, the risk for danger is still at an all time high.

“Well you also dropped this,” he said pulling up an id that was from the other boy. The other boy reached out for it but the other on chuckled, “Now tell me,” he glances at the id, “Phil Lester, are you truly okay?”

The boy nods with a worried look present on his face. The boy speaks again, “You know, you really should have a wallet for this because creepers can find out stuff about you,” he looks at the id reciting the information from it, “like say, you are 18, you were born in January-” he stops. The fun expression the brown haired boy had ceased to exist. Confusion swiped his face, then realization. He pulls the other boy by his arm, gently, and drags him to an alley.

“Are you really from the warehouse?”

The black hair boy just looks terrified, I mean he could get into some serious trouble if he was turned in. Could he really trust this boy? He just looked at his feet and fidgeted with his hands.

“How the hell did you escape? I mean no one escapes. Ever,” he says sharply.

The boy blue eyed boy looking down finally looked up and quietly spoke, stuttering at first, “I-I, I just kinda walked out.”

“But no one walks out from there.”

The boy looks down again at his bare feet.

“It explains the fashion choice at least,” the boy says lightheartedly as he held out the id. The black hair boy grabbed it and shoved it in his robe.

“Does that also explain the gash?” 

“Had to pull out the tracking device,” the black hair boy responds quietly.

“Well that is kinda bad-ass,” he pauses, “You know there is a store somewhere close with some bandages and stuff like that.”

The boy shakes his head, “No, I’m fine seriously.”

“You might be, but we don’t want that to get infected. If you just come with me I will leave you alone. I promise,” he holds up his hand and cheekily smiles.

The boy looks up and nods, saying quietly, “Okay.” They both smile shy and walk out of the alleyway. The brown hair boy pulls out his umbrella again and covers them both up. He looks over to this, Phil, and can’t help but to smile in a slight adoration at him. To him, he looks like a lost puppy or a tourist seeing a city for the first time. His blue blue blue eyes fill with wonder, but under them, the seem to hold the weight of the world.

The brown hair boy wanted to break the silence between them.

“So why did you jump out in front of the car?”

Phil looks at him with a confused expression.

“The car? You jumped out in front of it.”

Phil tilts his head still confused, “Car?”

The boy decides to point at the moving cars past them.

“Those!” He explains.

“Oh. I didn’t realize they move so quickly. I thought they would stop if someone is in front of them,” he says softly.

“Well this is London. People are all proper assholes. They don’t break for anyone.”

The boy hears a chuckle from the black haired one. He smiles to himself thinking he made them laugh.

“So you really don’t know what cars are?”

Phil shakes his head.

“Good lord did they just keep you from society and not teach you anything?” The brown hair boy laughed at first but realized what he said. He immediately ceased laughing. 

Phil shakes his head again.

“So the really didn’t teach you anything did they?”

Phil still shakes his head.

“Not much for a talker eh?”

The black hair boy stopped and pondered for a moment. “I can talk, it’s just hard to explain.”

“No problem. You don’t need to tell me anything,” the brown hair boy stopped in front of a store, “Ah we are here.” 

He is about to step in when realizes Phil isn’t following. He turns around and sees Phil is just standing there, wide eyed, almost terrified.

“What is it? Is something wrong?” the boy said quickly, slightly worried.

Phil shook his head.

“Come on. It is just a store.” He goes to turn and is about to walk in when he feels a hand around his arm.

He is stopped once again.  
“What’s the matter?” he looks at Phil who has a worried expression.

“I don’t think we should go in here.”

“Why?”

“I-I...I don’t know.” Phil looks defeated and looks down. He drops his hands by his side. 

The brown hair boy decides to put his hand on his shoulder and speaks kindly, “Come on. It is just a store. You are fine.”

Phil looks up at him with doubt but gives up. They both walk into the store. Up and down the aisles they go and it takes them 10 min to find the bandages mostly because the blue-eyed boy kept stopping, looking at various things in wonder. The other boy didn’t mind and found it quite cute, weird, but cute. “He really is a mystery,” he thought to himself.

They stop in front of the bandages and the brown-eyed boy picks up some. 

“Right. Here we are,” he puts them up to the other’s neck and compares the sizes to the gash. He decides on a medium pack and use two rather than getting an obnoxiously large pack and use one.

“I think that about does it,” the brown hair boy finishes and is about to walk off. However he turns to Phil who looks actually scared. Terrified. Mortified. He tries to see what he is looking at, but Phil is just staring at nothing but the front sliding doors.

“Hey Phil? Is everything alright?” he asks, but he gets no response. “Phil?” Still no response. He looks at him and Phil doesn’t even blink. He nudges him slightly and clicks his fingers and says his name again. 

While the brown hair boy is trying to snap this other boy out of this state, the other boy is simply not there. He is reliving a dream he had the night before that so happened in this store. This store. A man. A gun. Yelling. Red. Screams. Various things are remembered from this dream but he is finally snapped out of this trance.

Phil finally blinks and looks at the boy, and the other boy sighs finally getting a response.

“You just totally zoned out, are you-”

“Dan! We need to get out of here!”

“How did he know my name?” the other boy thought.

“What, why?” Phil grabs his wrist and drags him out of the aisle. However he stops dead in his tracks as he sees him. Him being the man from his dreams. The man with gun. The man who will reek havoc in this store.

Phil turns to the boy and sees worry in his eyes now. 

“What is going on Phil? Please just tell me!”

The blue eyed boy pulls the other into a secret little nook behind a staircase praying they would be safe here.

“Dan I need you to trust me.”

“What-” Phil isn’t paying attention as he sees the suspicious man start to pull out a gun.

“Cover your ears, close your eyes, and be quiet,” Phil says in the most calm way possible. The boy is so confused but decides to do as he is told. Cover your ears. Close your eyes. And be quiet. Phil did the same.

But even while covering your ears you can still hear the muffled gunshots. After the first one, they brown eyed boy immediatly opened his eyes. He was slightly scared. Why were there guns going off? However, he saw the other boy looking the way towards the action, eyes wide open, but ears till covered. The brown eyed boy tried to block out his hearing but alas he could not prevail. He could hear everything. The gunshots. The anger. Phil sees the boy staring at him and gives him a sad look while the other just furrows his eyes. Phil looks at the action but then looks back at Dan. Slowly he puts down his hands and puts them closer to the brown hair boy. His hands fall on top on the other boys and he presses slightly hard on his hands. He doesn’t want the other boy to here the sounds of horror so the least he can do is just offer another pair of hands to block out the sound. The other boy sees(and hears) this kind gesture and smiles softly. The sounds of horror now seem to be gone, but he knows they still go on as he sees the paler boy wince every so often. Without realizing it fingers start to lace together and they just squeeze each others fingers for reassurance. They don’t think anything of this. 

Then suddenly Phil’s hands retreat and nods at the boy. Everything is over. And now silence reigns over the store.

They both stand up slowly and Phil speaks up, “What I want you to do right now is look at me. Okay? Just look at me and nothing else. Okay? I’m walking us out of the store.”

Dan nods and looks at Phil right in the eyes. At least it is a good distraction as they walk out of the mess of the store. He could think of the millions of blue objects to compare to his eyes. Phil holds both of his hands and guides him backwards. However since he is the one guiding, he can’t help but to look at the mess around them. Items are scattered everywhere, bodies lie on the floor, and he can here small whimpers from the ones who are probably in shock and in hiding. Dan can see the blue in Phil’s eyes: the color and sadness. Phil can see the red: Dan’s cheeks and the bloodied floors. 

Finally they are out of the store and they just walk in silence. They hear sirens walk past them but they don’t look back. Dan stays wide eyed as he can’t believe that just happened and he survived.

They stumble across a Starbucks where the brown hair boy decides to stop. “Let’s go in here. We can fix you up and get some coffee.” Phil however just stops and looks at him with sad eyes.

“I can’t.”

“Why, is something bad going to happen here to?”

Phil shakes his head but says, “I’m too much trouble. It’s fine though. I’ll just keep-”

“No. You are coming in here with me because you are not trouble. If anything you saved my ass so I owe you one.”

Phil is hesitant but Dan smiles and ask gently, “Please.”

Phil looks at him in amusement that a boy is asking him to go to a Starbucks (which he has only heard about in books). He shakes his head with a smile, “What’s coffee?” He walks forward as Dan laughs.

“Come on. I’ll show you.”

They walk into the Starbucks and hit with the aroma of coffee. Phil breathes it in and smiles.

“Yeah, it smells nice doesn’t it?” Dan ask.

They order there drinks and Dan orders for Phil as he has no clue what to get. They both get a caramel macchiato. They walk towards two comfy chairs in the corner and plop down on them. Dan stares at Phil as he stares around the place. He bops his head slightly as if he is listening to a song. Once again the brown hair boy is intrigued. Phil stops and slowly turns his head towards Dan. He gets flustered and turns away.

Dan remembers the bandages in his pocket and pulls them out. He gets up and gets a cup of water and some napkins, bringing them back to the chairs. 

“Before I forget,” he pulls out the bandages in reference to the gash on Phil’s neck. Phil nods and gives him permission to “clean” him up.

Two minuets later the bandage is applied and all blood is cleaned up. That is except for the blood stained robe. Phil nods in thanks and Dan backs off and continues to drink his drink. Every so often he glances at Phil who is in his own little world.

Dan tilts his head in curiosity as many questions bombard his mind.

“What is it?” The black hair boy asked. His blue eyes make contact with brown.

“What?”

“Somethings on your mind.”

“My gosh, can you actually read minds?” Dan chuckles.

“No. I am human. It is called instinct I believe.”

Dan chuckles again, “Well you are sort of right.” Phil just keep staring. Dan looks away as he doesn’t want to come off rude when he ask, “How did you know my name?”

Now Phil looks away as well, staring at the wall in front of them. Dan takes this opportunity to turn back to Phil.

“I never told you my name and yet you said it back in the store.”

Phil stays silent.

“And how did you know that someone was going to come in that store and start shooting and things. I mean that shit doesn’t just come to you by chance.”

They both stay silent.

“Is it something to do with the facility down there?”

Phil slowly nods. “I had a dream the last night I was in there.”

“Ah. Like a premonition type dream?”

He nods.

“Is this the first time it’s happen?”

He shakes his head.

“How long? I mean this, how long has it been going on? Were you born with it or-”

“I can’t remember,” he says quietly. He cups his coffee like it is the only thing that comforts him.

“Okay.” 

They stay silent for a few minuets. But than Dan breaks the silence.

“Can I just ask one more thing?”

Phil looks at him and nods. 

“What was it like? Down there.”

“Um...I…” he stutters and gets a little teary eyed.

“Hey, hey it’s fine. You don’t have to answer. Can I just ask more specific questions I guess.”

“I’ll try to answer them.”

“Okay let’s see. How long were you down there for?”

“I was raised there. I was only 6 months old when they put us down there?”

Dan gasp a little bit. Ripped away from his family. Not a proper childhood that’s for sure.

“Was like very strict down there? Like you could only go out at certain times, or was it everyone can just live there life normally as long as it confides to the rules?”

“We just lived our lives down there normally. Kids had school. Adults had jobs. They were allowed to hang out with other people. But we could never play normally. There were no windows. No fresh air. Nothing. We might’ve live our lives, but it was a tasteless boring life.”

Silence.

“25% killed themselves within the first few years apparently,” Phil said in the most emotionless voice.

Dan coughs. “That seems horrible.”

“It was. It is. They also did weird experiments, not the testing kind, but the monitoring kind. Only a select few.”

“Were you apart of that few?”

Phil nods, “A majority came from my age group. We’d go live our lives while they would control the environment around us. They’d monitor our reactions and other things. That's how the dreams came to be. I don’t know how exactly but it just happened. The same thing happened to my few friends.”

“Are they still down there?”  
Phil shakes his head.

“Oh did they escape?”

He shakes his head again. Realization hits Dan. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry is such a funny word,” Phil speaks.

“I’m sorry, what?” Dan says in confusion.

“I learned that sorry is a meaningless word that should never be used.”

Dan is silent. Sorry is a meaningless word.

“My god what did they teach you down there.”

“Everything.” Phil looks at Dan with sad eyes.

Dan looks away and Phil turns back to the wall. 

“So you just said one day, ‘Ah screw it, I’m gonna get out of there.’”

Phil turns again to Dan. “I had to.”

“What do you mean?”

He shakes his head, “I just had to.”

“Has anyone tried to escape before?”

He nods.

“They got caught, didn’t they?”

He nods.

“What happened to them?”

He shrugs, “They didn’t kill them that’s for sure, but when whatever they do, it is awful. That’s why I can’t go back. I’m afraid of what they would do.”

“But did you have an idea of what you would do once you got out?”

Phil looks at him with furrowed eyebrows.

“So are you just saying you LITRALLY left with no plan.”

Phil shakes his head.

“So you have no proper clothes. No place to stay. No friends. No family,” Dan realize that cam out a bit harsh as Phil just sinks himself a bit.

“I’m sorry, it’s just a bit sad that’s all.”

“No I understand. You’d think with all the teaching they did, I’d have a better brain than that. But nope. Just a stupid stupid human.”

“I mean you got out so you can’t be that stupid.”

“It wasn’t like it was that hard,” Phil lightens up a bit and straightens himself out.

“Are you kidding me? Have you ever considered why no one has ever escaped that place? I mean ever? IT’s heavily guarded with people with guns. Big scary people with big scary guns!” Dan looks like he is crazy as his eyes are big qith expression and he talks with his hands and Phil finds it very amusing.

“What?!” Dan asks abruptly, hands up in the air.

“I have never seen someone act so...oh whats the word-”

Dan lowers his hands and realizes his reaction, “Crazy?”

“I mean-”

“I get it, I get it. It is just so wild that's all. And you,” Phil looks at him, “You are a complete mystery.”

Phil looks down again with a slight red color coming up in his cheeks. He could not pin down what he was feeling.

Dan chuckles at himself.

Phil decides to stand up and holds his empty cup.

“Are you done with that?” Dan ask. Phil nods.

“Great. Well that means we can go and-”

Phil’s face drops.

“What is it?”

“I have to go, but it was really nice me-”

“What do you mean you have to go?”

“I have to go before night falls and find a place and-”

In a mocking way, “I have to go before night falls,” he pauses and stands up, “I’m not leaving you and you aren’t leaving me just yet.” He steps forward. Phil steps back with a worried look on his face.

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

Phil doesn’t respond at first but then says quietly, “What if you take me back to the facility?”

Dan looks at him with sad puppy eyes and walks up to him, putting his hands on his shoulder. (He realizes they are actually the same height) “I promise I won’t okay. Others might and that’s why you should come with me. I could protect you for the time being.”

Phil is still unconvinced but Dan speaks up again, “Trust me.”

“Trust?”

“I won’t let anyone hurt you. I will keep your secret.”

Phil is still unconvinced. 

“How bout this? I will tell you a secret of mine so we both have secrets to keep.”

Phil smiles and nods.

“Okay um,” he thinks, “Okay this is something I really have to trust you with okay? I mean no one knows this.”

“Trust,” is the only thing that Phil says followed by a smile. 

Dan leans in and whispers into Phil's ear, “I’m gay.”

Phil furrows his eyebrows. “What does that mean?”

“Wait you seriously don’t know what that means?”

Phil nods his head. Dan laughs.

“Well that was kind of a waste of secret. Anyways, it means I like guys.”

“Oh,” Phil’s furrowed eyebrows release and a big toothy grin comes along, “Okay!”

“You seriously didn’t know what that meant do you?”

“Well no. No one was allowed to have relationships or like anyone down there.”

“Wow,” Dan extends the word. “Well anyway, no one knows that except a few friends. So don’t speak a word of it.”

Phil nods.

“Great. So now we both have secrets about each other, will you please come with me?”

“Where?”

“My home,” Dan smiles and they walk out of the Starbucks.

They start walking down the street and admire that the rain has stopped.

Phil speaks up for once, “I’ve always wondered what having a home is like.” He looks at Dan and smiles. Dan smiles at him but the quickly turns his head to hide the sad expression across his face. “No home huh? What a sad life to have lived.”


	2. Chapter 2 (I might name these later)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To quote Dan Howell: "If I cringe anymore I think my neck will just snap off and a fountain of blood will just erupt..."
> 
> sorry...

They made there way to Dan’s house when Dan said, “Wait here. I’ll make my mom go to another room to sneak you in.”

Phil nodded as Dan placed him behind a big tree.

“I’ll be back in a minute.” With that Dan left and made his way into his house.

He opened his front door to a smiling mother who greets him.

“Well hello sweetie, I thought you would be out longer.”

“I would’ve but it started to rain.”

She looks through the open door. “Well it doesn’t seem to have rained.”

“Well it did,” he then proceeds to run pass her and up the stairs, not suspiciously. 

He makes it to his room and opens the door to see a sitting Phil on his bed.

“What the? How the? How’d ya get in here?” he ask loudly but then softens his voice as he remembers his mom is just down stairs.

Phil crosses his legs and bounces slightly, “I climbed up here.”

“What?” he says loudly with hands in the air. He then retracts them and shushes himself.

Phil references the open window and Dan look outside and realizes, yes there was a water drainage Phil could’ve climber, but he still doesn't understands the rest of him climbing up the rest of the wall. But he doesn’t question it.

“Okay,” he says as he shuts the window.

Phil looks around the room in wonder. Posters line up the wall, although he has no clue what any of them are referencing to. He sees a bookshelf lined with books and movies and vinyls.

He stands up and goes to look at the different figurines and items from holidays.

Dan speaks up, “Like my room.”

Phil turns and nods. “I just don’t understand what anything is referencing to.”

“Wait so you don’t know what show this is,” he points to a Doctor Who poster. Phil shakes his head. He then points to a Buffy poster, a Sherlock poster, and Adventure Time poster, but Phil keeps shaking his head. 

“Wow,” he moves to one of his figurines, “Do you even know what anime this is from?”

“Whats an anime?”

Dan rakes his hand through his hair in amusement and says, “I am going to have so much fun showing you the wonders of good tv shows and music.”

Phil chuckles.

“But first,” Dan says then walks to his drawers, “We need to get some normal looking clothes on you.”

Phil looks awkward and is about to reject the offer but Dan interrupts, “Trust me, if you are ever to go out in public again you must get some proper clothes.” He pulls out and pants, “Her you look about my size.”

He holds out the clothes to Phil, but he doesn’t take them. He shakes the clothes, “Hey. I don’t mind.” He says this in the most kind way, so much that Phil can’t reject. He takes the clothes and smiles. Dan turns around and Phil tilts his head and just stands there. Dan gets the idea that he is still sitting behind him so he turns to him, “Phil, you can go change now.”

He smiles and nods and Dan turns back around. Phil gets out of his damp clothes and into his new clothes. Black skinny jeans and a red checkered top. Phil lets a small cough out and Dan turns around. He is met with a sour face Phil.

“What’s the matter?”

Phil looks down at his legs and takes the centimeter a fabric and slaps it against his leg.

“They are skinny jeans. They are suppose to be like that,” he chuckles. He notices Phil’s shirt is buttoned all the way to the top so he intervenes.

“Um, no no no. Give me that,” he pulls on Phil’s collar and unbuttons it, “There all good.”  
They both smile not taking into account there faces are only inches apart.

Dan coughs and the moment is broken. “So what do you want to do?”

Phil shrugs and sits on the bed. He looks around the room letting his eyes wonder. However they stop abruptly when he sees a keyboard across the room. He stands up and moves to it. He softly puts his hand on the keys, not pressing them.

“I’ve never seen one in real life,” he says.

“Really?” 

Phil nods. He presses on one of the keys but his face contorts when no sound comes out.

“It’s not plugged in,” Dan moves beside him and plugs the keyboard in, “It isn’t a real one. I wish it was though.” Dan smiles softly.

“You play?” Phil looks over to Dan.

“Not really.”

“You are lying.”

“No I’m- fine. Only a little though. I just taught myself, that’s all.”

“Play for me?” Phil looks at him with puppy eyes that Dan can’t say no to. He shrugs and pulls out a chair and sits in front of the keyboard. He cracks his knuckles and places his hands over the keys, hovering in the air. He closes his eyes and the music comes out so smoothly, so perfectly. Note after note keeps being played and the room is filled with a gentle melody. Dan ends it softly and opens his eyes. He meets eyes with the sun. They shine so brightly and correspond so well with the toothy grin.

“Amazing,” is the only word that comes out of Phil’s mouth. Dan nods his head in gratitude. He sighs. “So I suppose you’ve never played before?”

He shakes his head in response. Dan gestures the piano offering Phil to play it. Dan stands while Phil is a little hesitant, however he decided to sit down at the piano. And he just stares at it.

“It won’t bite Phil,” Dan says jokingly.

Phil looks at him, “What was that song you played?”

“Nocturne is C-Minor.”  
Phil nods and looks back at the piano. He hands hover over the piano as he closes his eyes. He opens them and just like that music is filled in the room again. Note after note is repeated perfectly. Not one single note off. He is very concentrated. Absolutely perfect just like Dan. He stops and breathes out heavily.

“Holy shit!” Dan says, “You said you’ve never played.”

Phil looks at him, “I haven’t.”

“Then how the hell did you do that!”

Phil stutters, “I-I, they- they taught us. They implemented the capability to play at school.”

“So brainwash?”

Phil shrugs.

“I mean that was incredible. Do you know how to play anything else?”

“I-I don’t know.”

“How’s this. Can you play Piano Sonata No.8?”

Phil stares at him then back at piano without a word. He closes his eyes and opens them in concentration. Once again everything comes out smoothly. Played it just as well as the composer himself. Dan is baffled by this. Phil ends it and is out of breath.

“Are you okay?” Dan ask half-worried.

Phil nods, “It’s not an easy task. It’s like I have to go into my own mind and search for it but when I play, it’s like I’m not myself.” He looks at the piano and stands up quickly, walking away from it, wriggling his hands. 

“Okay, well let’s not play anymore then.”

Dan proceeds to walk away when Phil grabs his shirts, “Please play some more.”

“Phil I don’t think-”

“Please?”

Dan nods and Phil loosens his grip. 

For the next 30 minuets music takes up the space in the room. Dan nods in concentration, Phil bops in time with the piano. It all stops abruptly when they both hear a knock from the door.

Dan and Phil look at each other. Dan speaks quietly yelling, “My mom! Hide!”

“One moment mom.”

Phil searches around the room as Dan frantically looks as well. Phil makes contact with the window and quickly goes to it, opening it up. He starts to move out of the window when Dan grabs his wrist, “What are you doing?!”

“Trust me,” Phil says yanking his wrist from Dan. Dan doesn’t have a moment to think so he leaves the window and opens his bedroom door.

His mom stands in the door frame, “I heard you playing piano.”

“Yeah?” Dan ask wondering why his mom would make a big deal to come to his room.

“Well it’s just so lovely to hear you play. You don’t play often enough.”

“Well I was just bored that’s all.”

“Really?” Dan nods, “Well I’m just shock that’s all. You usually resort to playing video games if you are bored.” 

Dan chuckles, “Don’t worry, I’ll probably go back to my normal self when you leave.”

“Okay Daniel,” and with that she walks away. Dan shuts the door and moves to his window opening it.

“Phil? Phil?” he looks around but can’t see him. Then out of nowhere, an upside down Phil comes into his view, only inches from his face. He is hanging on the window seal and his messy black hair is in his face.

He smiles as Dan says, “You can come back in now.”

Phil retracts back out of sight then quickly jumps through the window. Dan pops his head outside, to make sure no one saw them, before he closes the window. Dan turns around to see Phil standing in the middle of the room.

“Tonight, mister, your life is going to change,” Dan says.

 

8 hours later laughter can be heard from Dan’s room.

A laptop is placed in the center of the floor surrounded by two boys, a pile of blankets, and some thrown popcorn.

Dan’s laughter quiets down, “So I’m going to take you like it.” Phil nods. “So lets see. Now you like Mario Kart, Muse, Attack on Titan, and Doctor Who,” he stops and looks at Phil, he nods, “Okay it is official you can be called my friend.”

Phil smiles at him and they share a comfortable silence. Dan stares at Phil and takes in every facial feature, admiring him inches away from his face. Phil, unknowingly bites his lip as Dan stares. Dan in awe, quietly, says, “Wow.”

“What is it?” Phil ask. It was then when Dan was snapped out of his trance. 

He looks away, embarrassed, and says, “Oh it’s just your hair,” he ruffles it with his fingers, “It’s like a mane.”

Phil giggles.

“Seriously tho, you should get it cut.”

“I’d like that.”

Dan looks over to his clock and see that it is after midnight. 

“Welp, I think it is a good time to go to sleep, don’t you think?” Dan ask.

Phil nods and yawns, Dan yawns as well.

“Tired?” Dan ask. Phil nods. “Well we have a couple options. I can set up a bed of blankets on the floor or if you don’t mind, you can just share the bed with me. It’s a queen so it’s definitely big enough.”

Phil smiles, “Okay.”

“To what? Floor or bed?”

“Bed.” 

“Alrighty. I’m just going to get changed in the bathroom.” He moves to his drawers and passes Phil some pajamas. This time Phil doesn’t resist and he takes them. 

By the time Dan gets out of the bathroom they are both changed. Dan hops into the bed and jokingly pats the bed space beside him.

Phil, sitting at Dan’s desk, says, “I’ll come in a few.”

“Well alright then,” Dan turns off the lamplight, “Goodnight Phil.”

“Goodnight Dan,” Phil says. And then there was just silence.

Hours later, Dan is asleep and Phil is still sitting at Dan’s desk. His face is illuminated by the moonlight and he just sighs. He wants to sleep, but he just can’t, so he just fiddles with various items on Dan’s desk. He looks over his shoulder and smirks when he sees Dan in bed. To him, Dan looks so soft and innocent. He turns back to the desk and thinks about how lucky he is to bump into to someone so kind to him, especially when no one was ever that kind to him. 

 

It is now morning time, 11 to be clear, and Phi is still sitting at the desk, staring at the window, half-zoned out. He hears Dan starting to stir but just stays in the same position. The chair is quite comfy if he was being honest.

Dan wipes his eyes and awkwardly wakes up, “Good morning,” he says still half-asleep. It’s when he sits up realizes that Phil isn’t beside him, but actually at his desk.

“Did you sleep and just wake up before me?”

Phil snaps out of it, “Huh?” he pauses, “Oh, nope.”

“Did you sleep at the desk?”

“Nope.”

“Did you sleep at all?”

“Nope.”

Sympathetically, “But I thought you said you were tired.”

“I am.”

“So why didn’t you sleep.”

“I couldn’t.”

“Why?”

Phil taps his head, “It won’t allow me to sleep.”

“But I thought you did, that’s why you had that dream-”

“I do sleep. Just not often though.”

“Oh...I’m sorry.”

Phil shrugs.

“Well I will just have to work on fixing that,” Dan says. He can’t see Phil’s face, but if he did, it would be him smiling. To Phil, it is such a nice gesture to have someone actually to care for him, even if it’s fake.

Phil turns around to Dan who is smiling, “There she is.” Phil tilts his head in confusion. “It’s a saying.” Phil now understands.

Dan starts to emerge from his bed and stretches before Phil. Dan speaks up, “Well I’m going to get some coffee, assuming my mom made some. You want any?” Phil’s face lights up. “Great. Now remember, be quiet.”

Phil nods and Dan leaves.

Dan comes back up only a few minutes later with two cups of coffee.

Opening the door, Dan says, “I just made your coffee the same as mine as I forgot to ask, you can have another cup if you don’t like it.” 

He sees Phil sitting cross-legged on the floor fiddling with something. Dan laughs at the sight, shakes his head, and puts both cups of coffee on the desk. He walks over to Phil.

“Wad’ya playing with?” Phil turns his head and follows Dan as he sits right in front of him. He places Dan’s phone in front of him.

“What is it?” he ask.

“This my friend,” he picks up the phone, “Is a phone.” Phil simply nods. “You can call people on it and text them and play games on it.”

“Play games?” 

“Why is he so innocent?” Dan says in his mind, but in reality he says, “Yeah, you can play games on here. See?” He pulls up Crossy Road and starts playing it in front of Phil. He is so shocked when he sees what this can do, when Dan offers the phone, he grabs it out of his hand instantly. He plays the game and Dan simply watches him. Dan grabs his coffee and drinks it while Phil keeps playing.

Then randomly, while playing, he ask, “What’s your family like?”

“What?”

Phil still playing, “What’s your family like?”

“Oh, um,” Dan rakes his hand through his hair, “They are all quite lovely actually. My mum and dad are really funny and caring and very accepting of my sexuality. The same thing with my brother. We have so much fun with each other. Especially on Friday nights where we all sit down and play a board game and get take-out. I’m so lucky to have them.” Dan realizes he’s been rambling on so he decided to stop, especially when he remembers that Phil has gone all his life without a family.

Phil now stops playing and tosses the phone down on the ground. He decided to lay on the ground and toss over to his back, and just stares at the ceiling. Dan joins him.

“What ya thinking about?” Dan ask.

Phil shrugs.

“Okay then. Can I ask something?”

“Yes.”

“What were your friends like?” He looks over at Phil, who, still looking at the ceiling as if it were the stars, smirks.

“I can’t remember that well, they died when I was still young. But my group, well they were the only people who would play tag and imagine with me. That is until we got caught and had to stop for the time being. But we still did it.”

“What was your imagination game about?”

“The outside. We pretended that we could see the blue sky and the flowers. That we could here birds chirp, that we could play with other kids.” Phil smiles, “But that game ended quickly when they died so…”

“Ah. Well what about your other friends?”

“What other friends?”

“Well I thought-”

“When they all left I didn’t have anyone after that.”

“Oh I’m sorry, that sucks.”

“I wouldn’t know. I had to just live my life alone like most people did down there. It was normal that way.”

“But going a majority of your life without anyone is-”

“The way of life down there. You don’t grow attach to anyone so in case anything were to happen just like it did multiple times-” he stopped. He didn’t need to finish the sentence. “Without anyone to distract you, you can learn better, concentrate on your life better, just stay focused. Or at least try to.”

Then silence.

“I’m sorry,” Phil speaks up.

“For what?” Dan looks over and makes eye contact with Phil.

“I shouldn’t have talked that much.”

“Oh Phil. It’s no problem at all. I quite like learning about you. I probably know more information about what goes on down there than any other citizen in England right now. And plus, if you want to talk, than talk. No one should be silenced. Hell that’s why I got in trouble so much at school. I was a talker.”

“Really?”

“Oh yeah,” Dan chuckles remembering his primary years, “I always had a story to be told.”

“You think if I went to your school we would’ve been friends?”

“Most definitely,” Dan says in the most confident way. Phil smiles at that statement. 

“Phil, you look exhausted. Drink some coffee.”

Phil sits up and grabs his coffee. He smiles, “Perfect.”

A ringing emerges from Dan’s phone and Phil jumps at the sound. “Don’t worry. Someone is just calling me.”

He picks up the phone, “Hello?” He talks for a few minuets. Whoever it is, Phil can tell it is someone who makes him happy. Phil tilts his head in curiosity. 

Dan finally hangs up and smiles at Phil, “So that was my friend Pj and he just invited me to go to one of these bar trivia things with him and Chris. Basically its just a game at a bar that involves answering questions. And I was wondering if you want to join us. If you don’t want to we can stay here and-”

“No, I wanna go.”

“Seriously?”

Phil nods and smiles.

“Brilliant! I’ll just text Pj and let him know. We have to be there at 7 so we have all day to watch some more anime and do other shit. My mom will be going to work in a few so you can finally come down stairs.” Phil smiles at him and Dan takes that as his que to go and text Pj real quick. Phil decides to cross his legs and stare at the wall and go into his own world for a few. 

Rain. Pavement. Footsteps. People. Cars. Buildings. Yellow umbrella. A couple. An angry drunk. These things keep playing on repeat in Phil’s mind. And that is all he thinks about. That is until his thoughts stop abruptly as he is being shaked, violently, by Dan.

“Hey!” Dan exclaims. Phil looks at him, weirded out. “Are you okay? You were not ‘here’ for like a few minuets.”

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine.”

“I mean you were zoned out for a good 5 minutes, I was worried I was going to have to call an ambulance or something.”

Phil backs up quickly, “No no no,” he keeps repeating those words. He is very fragile right now Dan decides. 

Dan slowly scoots forward, “Hey it’s okay. I promise I wouldn’t so I won’t do that. You just scared me thats all.” Phil looks at him. “Do you know why you were like that?”

“I was thinking.”  
“About?”

“I-I can’t remember.”

“Oh okay.” It was at this moment Dan realized he was rubbing Phil’s leg gently. He didn’t mean to, but it just happened. He shot his hand back.

Phil grabs Dan’s hand and places it on the ground between them, he gives him a sympathetic look. “It’s okay," Dan says. Dan smiles and they just sit there, taking in the beautiful moment around them. Phil rubs circles on Dan’s hand. The moment calmly ends as Dan stands up and goes to grab the, now cold, cups of coffee.

He opens the door and says, “Shall we.” Phil stands up and follows him out his bedroom door.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, this chapter is shorter than the others, sorry. Anyways, enjoy!

Dan and Phil make their way outside now that it is growing towards 7. The sky grows darker but rays of pink and orange light still bring a glow about. 

“You know thinking of it,” Dan says, “One day I’m going to show you a sunset.”

“I’d like that,” they keep walking, “Dan?”

“Yes?”

“So what do you do at a bar?” Dan starts laughing, “What is so funny?”

“Oh it’s nothing. Nothing at all. It is a place where consumers can purchase and consume alcohol.”

“Oh. Is that all?”

“And the occasional karaoke goes on.”

“Okay.”

“Trust me Phil, as long as your by my side, you’ll be fine.” They both smile.

A few minuets later and they are standing in front of a bar.

Dan pulls out his phone, “They should be here any moment.” And with that here hears a few yells behind him.

“Oh Danny boy!” Chris yells cheekily.

“Why must you call me that?” Dan ask.

“Because it is demeaning and that’s funny,” he says with a full on smile. He sees Phil, “And who is this lad.” He winks at Phil who is now a bit suprised. Was he flirting with him?

“Chris, no flirting,” Pj, who stands behind him, says.

“This is Phil,” Dan speaks up.

“Pleasure,” Pj sticks out his hand and Phil looks at it. Dan playful shoves him foward and Phil realizes that he is suppose to take his hand, so he does.

“Phil this is Pj and Captain Jack is Chris,” Dan says. Phil lets out a loud laugh. He realizes what he did and immediately stops feeling a bit awkward at the wide eyed people in front of them. Then suddenly they start laughing to.

Through laughter, Pj manages to get out, “That might’ve been the cutest laugh to have ever come out of someone.”

Phil rakes his hands through his hair, “Thanks?”

“So how did you and Dan meet? Online-dating app?” Chris suggest as Dan forcefully hits his back. 

Phil looks at Dan, unsure what to say, “Uh, uh-”

“We met on the street,” Dan speaks up.

“Oh, that type are we Daniel?” Chris adds. Pj face palms himself. “Oh go on then.”

“Yeah we met on the street that’s it.”

“Uh huh,” Chris says.

PJ interrupts, “So Phil I have to ask, where are you from?”

“Um… you wouldn’t know it.”

“I was just wondering cus I honestly don’t think I’ve seen someone as pale as you. You sure you didn’t live in Antarctica?”

“Nope. Let’s just say I didn’t get a lot of light as a kid.”

Dan chuckles. Chris adds sarcastically, “Are you sure your friend isn’t a vampire?”

Dan laughs, “I think I’m pretty sure Chris, but thanks for asking.”

“Shall we go in?” Pj asks. Everyone agrees and they all walk into the bar. Now right before they go in, Phil pauses at the door. A flash of a yellow umbrella moves into his peripheral vision. He can’t help but to think he’s seen it before, and yet he can’t remember. He ignores the feeling and walks in with everyone else.

Again Phil is hit with an unfamiliar aroma for which he is unsure if he likes it or not. He detects perfume, alcohol, and stomach vile he presumes. But once again it is about the experience and he is very excited for such. The boys grab a high table with four stools for them.

“So what now?” Dan ask.

“Now my friend we drink,” Pj says waving over a bar waiter. He ask for four drinks which Phil has never heard of but assumes they are good, I mean why else would they order it.

“When does the trivia start?” Phil ask.

“Ah he speaks,”Chris says. Dan glares at him. “They’ll start in a few. But they are no fun until the drinks kick in.”

A guy brings over 4 shots of some strong liquor and place them in front of the boys. The boys pick up the glasses, Phil being slightly delayed as he has no idea what he is doing.

“To the four men in a swanky bar and for new endeavored friendships,” Pj says dramatically. Dan looks over to Phil quickly and mouths the words JUST GULP IT to him as they all gulp down the strong liquor.

Phil coughs at the burning sensation in his mouth. The rest look at him.

“First time drinking?” Chris ask.

“Nope, just haven’t had any of this stuff that’s for sure,” Phil says chuckling slightly.

“Well then my friend,” Chris puts his hand in the air and waves frantically, “We are going to need 2 more rounds!”

Dan and Pj clap while Phil just smiles.

A few more rounds of drinks later and three of the boys are already getting tipsy. Phil, however, is not phased by the alcohol one bit. In front of him is some type of fruity vodka drink which he just keeps gulping down.

“Look at him, he’s not even buzzed,” Chris says to Dan.

“Yeah, he’s a peculiar one that’s for sure.”

“I wish I could have that many drinks and still look all chappy like that.”

“Beginner’s luck?” Pj adds eavesdropping.

“Nah mate, that’s gambling.”

“I know that, I’m talking about in alcohol terms.”

“Ohhh,” Chris says.

The music, once playing in the bar, stops and a man’s voice comes through a microphone.

“Alright people, it is 7:30 and you know what that means!” the man says. The crowd cheers and Phil looks around. Such a lively environment. “That’s right trivia night. Okay you all know how it goes, go form yer groups and let’s answer some questions! And winner wins a 100$ cinema pass!” The crowd cheers again. “Let’s do this!”

Chris and Pj hit Dan and Phil’s back in cheerfulness, pumping them up as someone passes whiteboards to them.

“Okay the first question: In which English city is the Burrows Toy Museum?”

The boys looked at each other Dan and Chris being totally clueless. Pj gives Phil a look and they both say the same word: Bath. And so Pj wrote the city down and held it in the air when time was called. Everyone as well put there boards in the air, most reading: Bath.

“Bath is the correct answer!” 

The boys smiled and high-fived each other. 

“1 down and a lot more to go,” Dan says smiling. He looks over to Phil who shares a smile with him as well, only staring for a few seconds.  
“Alrighty…” The man starts.

This trivia night goes on for another couple of minuets with the boys answering all but one correctly. It is shared with laughter, smiles, and more beer. Phil feels like he is fitting in quite nice and Chris and Pj have more than enough accepted him in the “friend group”.

Then the next question comes along. 

“At what year did King Tut die at age 19?”

The boys look at each other. “I don’t know.” “Why would we know that.” “Who on earth would know that.” These phrases are passed around the table as no one knows the answer. That is until Phil yanks the white board out of Pj’s hand.

“Wait do you know it?” he looks at Phil who gives him a nod. He writes an answer down.

“Boards up,” the man says. And with that Phil raises the board on it, it reading: 1323 BC

“1320-1325 BC is correct!” the man says.

The boys cheer around the table. Pj speaks up, “Okay so maybe someone does know the answer to that question.”

“Nice job mate!” Chris says. Phil’s smile widens. 

The night goes on and questions are answered. The answers get significantly tougher at the more the game went on, but Phil was hitting all the right answers. The boys are amazed at well he does with the trivia actually.

The man speaks up, “Okay so it seems we have a tie amongst our groups.” A small ooo is heard through the crowd of people.

“We have these fellas at table 6,” he points to a group not far from the boys, “And these fellas at Table 10,” he hpoints to Dan, Phil, Chris, and Pj. “So it looks like we are going to have to have a lightning round. The tables are going to get a bell, I am going to ask a question, and when you have the answer hit that bell and say it out loud. Okay?” The two tables nod.

The bell is placed in the center of the boys table and they all look around. 

“God I hope this is easy,” Chris says.

“Don’t worry. We got Phil’s brains so we are good,” Dan says smiling at Phil. He graciously accepts the compliment. The boys know that Phil is the only reason they even go this far. He's been pretty much doing all the answering, but if Phil didn't complain, neither did they.  
“Alright. Let’s do this,” Pj said cracking his knuckles.

First question: What year was Winston Churchill born?

Phil spoke loudly, and suddenly, “1874.” The boys smiled at him.

“What is the capital of Brunei?”

Phil once again shouted, “Bandar Seri Begawan.” The boys looked at him impressed. The other team huffed as they were not fast enough.

“What play does this line come from? ‘From women’s eyes this doctrine I derive: They sparkle still the right Prometh-”

Phil interrupted, “Love’s Labour Lost!” The other team growled in anger. Some other people in the bar were clapping impressed.

Question after question, Phil answered without hesitation. His new friends were impressed by all means thinking how the hell would he know all this or more importantly why? However, while Dan was quite impressed, concern started to rise as Phil’s expression started to change half way through the questions. He shakes his black hair head every so often and look almost as if he was in pain. He looked like he was uncomfortable or wanted to cry. But question after question and he answered like the genius he was. By the time the last question came he was out of breath hunched over the table, but the others didn’t notice.

“I think it is very clear who the winners for tonight’s trivia,” he pointed, “Table 10! Congratulations! You guys had a very smart teammate tonight.”

Pj and Chris smiled and said some very cheery words then they patted Phil’s back congratulating him. He didn’t even flinch. They look over at Dan with confused expressions but realized Dan was just as confused as they were.

“Um Phi?” Dan asked. As soon as he said that Phil jumped out of his seat and bolted. He ran for the backdoor. Dan stood up about to run after him but remembered there were other people at the table.

“He probably just had a sour stomach. Give me a sec. Just stay put,” Dan said impatiently. Chris and Pj nodded, but Dan left the table before they even could.

He found his way to the back door and walked back to the alley. There he found a crunched up Phil raking his hands in his hair rocking back and forth. Dan cautiously stepped forward and crouched beside him. It was then he could here him whispering words, although he couldn’t make them out. He slowly put his hand on Phil’s back rubbing it in circles hearing the cries coming from his friend.

“Phil? What’s wrong?”

He can start to hear the words better. “I can’t. I just can’t,” he whimpers.

“What can’t you do?”

“It just won’t turn off! I want it to turn off! It hurts so much. Just please make it stop!” he hits his head with his hands like he’s hitting a broken clock. Dan takes his hands and stays silent. “Please make it stop,” Phil continues to say over and over again quietly.

“Make what stop?” Dan ask.

Phil points to his head. “It works so much. It’s too fast. It just won't stop and I can’t get a break. Working every minute.” 

Dan realizes that maybe taking him to trivia wasn’t the brightest idea he’s had. His friend was most likely having a panic attack in a dirty alleyway and he was trying desperately to calm him down. He eventually takes his body into his arms and squeezes him but then just sitting there in a hug for what seems minutes. He’ll just have to ask later to get the details of what was wrong. So he just sat there with his friend. Without letting go fully, Dan pulled out his phone and texted Pj saying that Phil got sick and they will just a taxi back. He put his phone in his pocket and leaned in toward Phil some more. He whispered in his ear, “Let’s go back to my house huh?”

Phil looked up with red eyes, he sniffled and nodded.

“Can you get up?”

Phil nodded and Dan slowly raised with Phil grabbing his arms. “Okay let’s get a cab.”

They made it onto the street and got a cab. Dan helped Phil get into the cab who occasionally sniffled. While in the car, Phil decided to rest his head on Dan’s shoulder. Phil closed his eyes so he couldn’t see that Dan was slightly red, but alas he was very much smiling. He slowly tilted his head onto Phil’s, staying that way for the whole cab ride. 

Dan gently shook Phil in which Phil quickly looked up at Dan.

“We are here sleeping beauty,” Dan said jokingly.

“I didn’t sleep,” Phil spoke.

“Oh sorry, I just assumed since-”

“It’s fine,” Phil waved it off. They got out of the cab and saw his mother’s car in the driveway.

“Shit, she’s home,” he said turning to Phil. “You know what, I’ll go in first and distract her and you can go up the stairs.” Dan started walking then turned back to Phil, “And actually go up the stairs, not through the window, kay?”

Phil nodded. He followed Dan up the steps of the house and watched him go inside. Phil pressed his head to the door until he heard talking, it was then when he quietly moved into the house and up the stairs. He heard footsteps closer to the hallway approaching the stairs, so he quickly tiptoed to Dan’s bedroom trying not to get caught.

He sat on Phil’s bed and waited till Dan came in. 5 minutes later and he did.

“Sorry, my mom talks forever,” he chuckled. Phil offered a small smile.

Dan sat next to him and they sat there in silence. That is until Dan patted his knees and asked a question, “So are you okay?”

Phil looked at him and nodded.

“Are you sure cus at the bar it didn’t seem-”

“It’s fine.”

“Do you want to talk about what happened?”

Phil shook his head, “Not yet.”

“Okay.” Again there was silence.

“Look if I did anything, or Pj or Chris. I’m sorry and I’m sure they would be to.”

“It’s not your fault. I had a good time for the most part...it’s just...me that’s all,” Phil said quietly. Dan sighed at his friend sympathetically. 

“You should try to get some sleep.”

“Dan, you know-”

Dan interrupted, “I know, I know. Can you at least try?” Phil stared at the puppy eyes and finally gave in, nodding. Dan smiled. “Good. You can have the bed.”  
“But-” he tried to protest.

“No buts, now go get change,” he said pointing to his pajamas that were handing on a chair. Phil stood up and walked over to his clothes.

“Thank you,” Phil said. Dan nodded. Phil then walked to the bathroom and Dan could hear the little lock clicking. A few moments later Phil came out in his pajamas. Dan stood up from the bed and Phil slid in.

He went over to his desk and sat down, watching his friend close his eyes. It was very peaceful all of it. 5 minutes later, however, Phil spoke up.

“Dan?”

“Yes Phil?”

“Would you mind...um...laying next to me?”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.” 

Phil nodded. Dan walked slowly over to the bad and lifted the sheets. He sllid in, but kept a good several inches from Phil. He didn’t want to make him uncomfortable. But then, Phil slid backwards, making him and Dan only an inch apart. Dan looked over and saw Phil’s eyes were shut, so he wasn’t going to question it. Dan finally decided that maybe he should at least be comfortable to, so he let his body be less tense and started seeping away into sleep. But right before he fell asleep, he felt Phil grab his arm and sling it over him. Now if anyone were to walk in, he would totally be screwed. He was basically cuddling with someone he met only a couple days ago. But he couldn’t help but to feel so calm. Both of there bodies were warm and there arms were soft, breathing so calmly with each other. They both fell asleep that night with smirks on their faces.


End file.
